24/5/2012 The Bermondsey Joyriders @ Madam JoJo's

Subject	The Bermondsey Joyriders @ Madam JoJo's
DateCreated	6/4/2012 6:06:00 PM
	This is a gig I'd been looking forward to for a while, although I wasn't looking forward to visiting the actual venue. Actually, I don't think Madam JoJo's is a bad little venue at all - apart from the bar and toilets, neither of which I like at all. I dislike the bar for the all too common reasons of them not serving anything I actually want to drink, and the outrageous prices. I don't think you are ever going to get cheap drinks in this part of town anyway though. The gents toilet is OK actually, apart from one very annoying thing - it contains a toilet attendant! There's not much room in there anyway, so the last thing you want is some creepy guy getting in the way when you want to wash your hands - something I am more than capable of doing unaided thank you. This is another good reason to avoid the bar - which tends to lead to more visits to the toilet. The reason I find myself in this Soho sleazepit is to see the Bermondsey Joyriders play at the launch show for their new album 'Noise And Revolution'. A lot of effort has obviously gone into the presentation of recent Joyriders shows and they are memorable events as a result. The individual songs on the new album are illustrated with special posters which change as the show goes on. The band have been building up a bit of a following and the gig is well attended. The Bermondsey Joyriders have been pretty good every time I've seen them, but tonight they excel themselves and this is probably the best performance I've seen (and heard) from them yet. This band really stand out from the crowd with their unique brand of rock 'n' roll with snarling punk attitude. And they look great too - they really do look like a proper old school rock 'n' roll band. This mob's sound is just as distinctive as their look - with Garry Lammin's slide guitar giving the band a sound of their own and sonically separating them from the generic punk hordes. The Bermondsey Joyriders eponymous debut album had some cracking songs on it, but the production left a lot to be desired. I like a basic and raw stripped down rock 'n' roll sound, but the first album took this to the extreme and sounded like it was recorded in a corrogated iron shack for less than $50. The second album that this show is to promote is a marked progression - the songwriting is a little more sophisticated, the production is much better, and also - it's a concept album! Green Day have had much success with the unlikely idea of 'punk' concept albums, but this is a very different kettle of fish. The production, although noticably improved from the band's debut is still quite raw and basic compared to the more polished but still basic recent output of Green Day. The big difference is that this album has something to say - in fact it has quite a lot to say, and very loudly! The members of the Bermondsey Joyriders might have been in various other punk bands over the years and they've all been round the block a few times - but they arestill pissed-off! Pissed-off with society, rock stars, politicians, and plastic punks among other things. All these subjects and more are attacked with venom on 'Noise And Revolution. Oh - and they like a nice cup of 'proper English' tea as well. I love the way this band celebrate their Englishness - coming across at times like a punk version of the Small Faces. Another thing which gives the new album a different twist is the specially written spoken word introductions between songs by the infamous ex-MC5 manager and former White Panther revolutionary John Sinclair - who has also appeared in person at a few of the band's gigs over the past year or so to introduce the songs live in the same fashion. I guess it's not practical (or cheap) to keep flying the aging revolutionary over the Atlantic Ocean for every gig, so now his place at the live shows has been taken by well known journalist and writer Charles Shaar Murray - who has a far more English accent and also contributes mouth harp playing to one or two songs this evening. It all works rather well, and the band are on top form tonight. Another recent change has been the addition of new drummer Chris Musto to the ranks - also seen in the past playing drums with Glen Matlock, Johnny Thunders,  and Joe Strummer. He certainly adds a lot of power and punch to the live shows, and it has to be said is a lot better than previous drummer and 'punk legend' Rat Scabies - a man who I felt was coasting a bit, relying on past glories and didn't seem too committed. Hopefully this current lineup of the band will prove to be definitive and lasting. There has been a bit of a revolving door for drummers in this band in the past, with Keith Boyce of the Heavy Metal Kids and Eddie from the Vibrators also occupiing the drum stool previously. Hopefully the band now has the stabilty they need to take things up a level. Ex-Cock Sparrer and Chelsea men Garry Lammin and Martin Stacey have excellent punk credentials -they really know what they are doing and where they are heading, and this new album is a big step in the right direction. After opening act The Phobics (old school punksters who are no strangers to west end stages) cabaret spots from Luna Rosa, and compared by pink pop/punk songstress Kiria the atmosphere in this club is hot and lively - good thing the place has decent air-conditioning! The Bermondsey Joyriders are really firing on all cylinders tonight and they play a blinder! They play the whole of the new album, complete with spoken word peices performed by Charles Shaar Murray in place of John Sinclair. After a longer than usual set the band leave the stage, but the crowd demmand an encore. The band oblige with 'Football' and 'Who Are Ya' from the first album and everybody goes home happy. This was definitely of the the best shows of the year so far. Knowing I would be avoiding the overpriced bar I only had enough cash on me to buy the new album this show is to promote. I got the CD (which Gary and Martin from the band kindly signed for me) but the special limited edition vinyl versions of the album in the gatefold sleeves looked great! All at very reasonable prices too and keeping to the punk rock ethic. Thanks also goes out to the nice young lady who insisted on buying me a beer even though I was intending to have a 'dry' night out and after buying the album didn't have enough money to buy myself a drink anyway. An excellent night out in Soho.